Center Parcs teams up with Together for Short Lives to give families precious time together

Center Parcs today announces that until 2018, they will be working with Together for Short Lives, a UK wide charity which supports families caring for children with life-shortening conditions.

This exciting new partnership will see these two organisations, who have family togetherness central to what they do, raising awareness and funds nationally through Center Parcs guest donations which will be matched by the company and raising funds locally for hospices close to the villages.

Martin Dalby, CEO said: “I’m very proud of Center Parcs and its charitable giving over the years, we take our responsibility to help local and national causes very seriously and I’m very excited to see how, in partnership with Together for Short Lives, Center Parcs can help support 50,000 families, giving them precious quality time together.”

Barbara Gelb Together for Short Lives CEO said: "We are thrilled to launch our partnership with Center Parcs; we both share a passion for helping families make the most of their time together. Working with Together for Short Lives, Center Parcs are supporting the UK's 54 children's hospices, raising essential funds so that they can continue their vital work, helping thousands of families across the country to create special memories that will last a lifetime."

Together for Short Lives provides support to 54 UK children’s hospices, all of which rely heavily on help from organisations and the public. Center Parcs villages will be organising fundraising events to raise funds and awareness for their local hospice, staff will be undertaking challenges and guests will also be able to make a donation when booking a short break with every pound pledged matched by Center Parcs. Center Parcs also works with nine other family charities donating breaks and also support a number of local community projects and charitable causes.

Notes to Editors

Center Parcs UK

Center Parcs has five Villages across the UK; Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Whinfell Forest in Cumbria and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire which opened to guests on 6 June 2014

As the leader in the UK short break holiday market, Center Parcs regularly achieves average annual occupancy in excess of 97%

Center Parcs offers weekend, (Friday to Monday) or midweek (Monday to Friday) breaks and welcomes over 1.7 million guests each year, with 96% of guests expressing an intention to return

Center Parcs has a proud history of helping charities that make a difference to families across the UK through a main charity partner, a number of charities they donate breaks to, support with individual requests where possible and supporting local community projects around their villages.

Together for Short Lives

Hearing the news your child has a life-shortening condition and is likely to die young is completely devastating. For tens of thousands of families in the UK this is the reality. These children have very complex and unpredictable conditions and often need round the clock car, seven days a week.

Together for Short Lives is a UK wide charity that, together with our members, speaks out for all children and young people who are expected to have short lives. We are here to help children and their families to access specialist children’s palliative care services when and where they need it. We provide information so families know where to go for support and have the help they need to make the right choices about their child’s care. Together for Short Lives supports all the professionals, children’s palliative care services and children’s hospices that deliver lifeline care to children and families across the UK.